ROCKY COLAVITO

THE NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME

Dear Ray,

Thank you very much for your note.

Please understand that the Hall of Fame is not -- and never has been -- involved in electing candidates for enshrinement. The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) and the committees on managers, umpires, executives and long-retired players are the only bodies that elect eligible candidates to the Hall of Fame. The complete rules for election can be found at our website, https://www.baseballhall.org/hall-of-fame/eras-committees.

Election to the Baseball Hall of Fame is the greatest honor in all of sport. Only a little more than one percent of all the 23,000-plus men who have played Major League Baseball are enshrined at the Hall of Fame.

Rocky Colavito had a wonderful big league career and remains eligible for Hall of Fame election. Managers, umpires and executives -- and players retired for more than 15 seasons -- are considered for Hall of Fame election every year by eras. Contemporary Baseball Era player candidates (those whose primary contributions came from 1980 through the present) were considered in the fall of 2022 for the Class of 2023; Contemporary Baseball Era manager/executive/umpire candidates (those whose primary contributions came from 1980 through the present) were considered in the fall of 2023 for the Class of 2024; and Classic Baseball Era candidates (players, managers, executives and umpires whose primary contributions came prior to 1980) were considered in the fall of 2024 for the Class of 2025. The three-year cycle then repeats.

Rocky Colavito would be considered in Classic Baseball Era election since he spent the entirety of his career in that era. The next ballot with the Classic Baseball Era candidates, which is constructed by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s Historical Overview Committee, will be formed in the fall of 2027 and announced in the days following the completion of the 2027 World Series. Only candidates on the ballot are eligible for consideration by any Eras Committee.

TO WRITE A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR ROCKY COLAVITO TO THE HISTORICAL OVERVIEW COMMITTEE, YOU CAN USE THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:

Historical Overview Committee
Baseball Hall of Fame
25 Main Street
Cooperstown, NY 13326

All letters of support for any candidate are made available to the Historical Overview Committee should they ask to see them. Only letters sent by standard mail can be accepted.

The Classic Baseball Era Committee, which is reconstituted each time it meets, will be named in the fall of 2027.

Thank you again for your interest in the Baseball Hall of Fame. We hope to see you soon in Cooperstown.

Sincerely,

Craig Muder
Director of Communications
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

THE HISTORICAL OVERVIEW COMMITTEE OF THE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME

A Historical Overview Committee (HOC) in baseball serves to develop ballots for the National Baseball Hall of Fame's Era Committees. Composed of veteran historians and journalists, the HOC reviews candidates and selects a ballot of names for the relevant Era Committee to vote on. This process ensures that players, managers, and umpires whose greatest contributions to the game occurred before a certain era can be considered for Hall of Fame induction.

Purpose and Function

Ballot Creation:
The primary role of the HOC is to create the ballot of candidates for the Era Committees.

Candidate Review:
The committee reviews a broad pool of individuals who might be eligible for consideration but are not on the traditional ballot for the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA).

Era-Based Consideration:
The HOC is responsible for identifying candidates for the Classic Baseball Era, Contemporary Baseball Era, and others, ensuring representation from different historical periods of the game.

Composition and Appointment

Veteran Historians and Journalists:
The committee is comprised of individuals with extensive knowledge of baseball history, including veteran historians and journalists.

BBWAA Appointment:
Members of the HOC are appointed by the BBWAA and approved by the Hall of Fame's Board of Directors.

Role in the Election Process

Input for Era Committees:
The HOC's ballot is then presented to the Era Committees, which are separate bodies tasked with voting on the final inductees.

Avenue for Historical Figures:
This process provides a crucial pathway for players, managers, and umpires whose careers are historically significant but who may not have gained enough votes through the traditional BBWAA ballot.

Cycle of Elections:
The HOC contributes to the cyclical system where different eras and categories of candidates are considered every few years, ensuring a continuous opportunity for figures from all parts of baseball history to be reviewed.